This invention relates generally to the provision of drinking water for animals and more particularly to a watering installation which is specially constructed to resist freezing.
In colder climates, the watering of animals, particularly cattle and other livestock, presents the problem of avoiding freeze up of the water. The animal watering installation is normally located outside where it is accessible to animals, and it is thus necessary to take special measures to keep the water from freezing. In the past, electrical immersion heaters have been used; however, the heaters are costly and consume considerable amounts of energy which adds significantly to the costs. Additionally, electrical wiring must be strung to the watering site and this presents a possible safety hazard.
While attempts have been made to take advantage use of the heat that is naturally stored in the ground, these attempts have not been wholly successful. Buried units of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,112 to Lilyerd have been available, but they rely on air circulation to keep the water near the surface above freezing and are not always able to do so because air is not especially effective for storing thermal energy. The top of the water container is essentially open in this type of unit, and the water can quickly freeze in especially cold weather. If a freeze up does occur, there are numerous components that can be damaged or destroyed, thus taking the unit out of service for an extended time period and requiring costly repairs.